Gideon Drake and the Fire Within (Harry Potter Sequel/Spinoff)

Chapter Twenty-Two: Epiphany

'"Gideon Drake"?' queried Emma, reading the envelope Gideon had cast aside from across the table.

'Another secret, Squib boy?' said Vinny nastily. 'Is everything that comes out of your mouth a lie?'

'Drake is my...' Gideon began, before deciding he didn't owe anybody an explanation, least of all Vinny. 'It's none of your business.'

'What have you got there, Gideon?' asked Brendan upon folding and pocketing his own piece of mail. 'Ooh, a new wand, eh?'

'As if that will help!' Vinny commented.

Gideon ignored him, grasped the handsome, polished wand by the handle and lifted it from its cushioned container. It felt good in his hand, nothing like the tatty one he had been using. A strange feeling emanated from within Gideon's chest and surged throughout his body.

It was the oddest sensation, like a chill, but with a warmth to it. Gideon felt the hairs on his arms and the back of his neck stand on end. His spine tingled and he gave an involuntary shiver, and then, things went dark.

Gideon and the other students all looked up from their letters, breakfasts and conversations. Above them, the Great Halls many candles and wall-mounted torches had all gone out instantaneously. Being a cloudy morning outside, the abrupt lack of light plunged the room into near darkness.

The remaining owls took flight at once, screeching as they did. The students fussed noisily, and a couple of silly screams even echoed through the room. Gideon, still holding the wand, felt uneasy. He hurriedly placed it in the box, grabbed the lid, his letter and its envelope, and surreptitiously left the table during all the hubbub.

He reached the door before light returned to the Great Hall. He looked back to see the Headmistress standing behind the staff table with her wand pointing upward. He met her eyes briefly before continuing through the doorway and walking swiftly back to his dormitory.

Gideon sat on the edge of his bed and waited for his heartbeat to return to normal. However, the adrenaline inside him was preventing that. He wasn't entirely sure why he felt the need to leave the Great Hall. It was instinct which drove him.

As the last traces of the tingling sensation Gideon had experienced still resonated through him, he had to wonder, did he do it? Did he put out the lights? Somehow, he knew the answer. Somehow, he knew that he had just experienced magic for the very first time. He had no frame of reference, of course, but there was no other explanation.

It didn't seem possible, but there was a growing feeling of excitement that Gideon couldn't shake. Still, if he were to accept what he felt sure to be true, the implications would be huge, and not only because he had just performed quite a feat. He had to be sure. He had to test his theory.

Gideon removed the wand from the box once more. The odd sensation didn't occur again, but the wand still felt right in his grip. He rose his arm and pointed the wand at the dormitory wall clock. Gideon was conflicted. He began to shake a little as fear and hope did battle inside him. There was a very real possibility that life as he knew it was about to change. Again.

Gideon closed his eyes and tried to calm himself. He recalled the wand movement, the incantation and the pronunciation needed. Then, he opened his eyes and performed the spell, 'Wingardium Leviosa!'

Apprehension, perplexion, dread, elation? Gideon didn't know what to feel. He imagined that had he been holding his mood quill, it would surely have exploded in his hand. He clapped his free hand to his mouth in shock, dumbfounded as the clock left its wall hook and floated before him.

The sound of voices outside the door disturbed Gideon from his reverie, and the clock fell to the floor with an almighty crash. Gideon pocketed the wand as his dormmates entered.